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Heart-warming Sunlight

  
Lack of vitamin D may affect your heart health as well as contributing to weak bones and muscles, say researchers writing in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Their findings suggest that low levels of the vitamin increase your chances of developing high blood pressure and diabetes – and of becoming obese. 
 
Sunlight on the skin triggers the body’s natural production of vitamin D. It’s estimated that being outside in the summer for just fifteen minutes a day can give you all the vitamin D you need, but an increasing tendency for people to stay indoors, as well as concerns that over-exposure to sunlight will cause skin cancer, are meaning that many of us are not producing enough.
 

To be sure you don’t suffer the long-term ill effects of vitamin D deficiency, boost your intake of salmon, sardines or cod liver oil, or consider eating foods that have been fortified with vitamin D. Supplements are available, too. Do make the most of the sun when it shines, too – but if you’re planning on being outside in bright sunlight for more than half an hour, remember to use a suitable sunscreen.